Preview: Weekend's provincial club championship action

Saturday, November 7

AIB Connacht Club SFC quarter-final

St Brigid's (Roscommon) v St Mary's (Sligo), Dr Hyde Park, 1.30pm

The St. Brigid’s players have proven they have character as well as class by bouncing back from last year’s heart-breaking All-Ireland Final defeat to win another Roscommon SFC title.

With players like Conor Hand, Brian Stack, Shane Cunnane, Eddie Nolan, and Ben O’Carroll in good form they’ll go into this match as hot favourites.

St. Mary’s are a well-coached side under Mark Breheney, but they just don’t have the same sort of firepower as the Roscommon champions.

AIB Ulster Club SFC quarter-finals

Erne Gaels (Fermanagh) v St Eunan's (Donegal), Brewster Park, 5pm

Donegal clubs have a poor record in the Ulster championship but St. Eunan’s will definitely have provincial ambitions after their impressive county final victory over a very strong Naomh Conaill team.

They have a very strong spine of their team with players like Shaun Patton, Caolan ward, Conor O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore, Shane O’Donnell, Conor O’Donnell Jnr, and Niall O’Donnell to call on.

Erne Gaels won’t be any pushover, though. They’re three-in-a-row champs in Fermanagh and in the Kelm brothers and Dan McCann have players of a very high calibre.

Gowna (Cavan) v Crossmaglen (Armagh), Kingspan Breffni, 7.15pm

Crossmaglen Rangers come into this provincial championship campaign on the back of a very impressive county final victory over Killeavy.

County stars like Oisin and Rian O’Niall and Cian McConville rightly get a lot press for their excellence in attack, but they’re backed up by a new generation of exciting young players like Harry Cumiskey, Odhran Caraher, Pearse Blessing, Aaron Haughy, and Keelan McEntee.

They’re most people’s favourites to come out on top here, but they’d underestimate Gowna at their peril.

The Cavan champions are very well drilled under Vinny Corey and have been putting up big scores. This could be a thriller that will be decided by a very fine margin.

Sunday, November 8

Connacht Club SFC quarter-final

Salthill-Knocknacarra (Galway) v Ballinamore Seán O'Heslin's (Leitrim), Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 1.30pm

Salthill-Knocknacarra will come into this match with a pep in their step after their dramatic Galway SFC Final victory over Maigh Cuilinn when Tomo Culhane scored a winning goal in the dying seconds.

The Galway champions have serious quality in their ranks with county players like John Maher, Matthew Thompson, Rob Finnerty and Culhane to call upon, and go into the match as warm favourites.

Ballinamore are an experienced side though and in players like Paul Honeyman, Paul Moran, and Tom Prior have some real quality of their own.

Páirc Seán will also provide some home comfort for the Leitrim champions, but you’d still expect Salthill-Knocknacarra’s class to prevail.

AIB Leinster Club SHC quarter-finals

Lough Lene Gaels (Westmeath) v Shelmaliers (Wexford), Cusack Park, Mullingar, 1.30pm

The Westmeath champions have been very competitive in Leinster in recent years and Lough Lene Gaels will fancy their chances of pulling off a shock here in front of their home support.

Shelmaliers are a well-coached team though that are especially good at taking a stranglehold on the middle third where team-captain Conor Hearne is especially forceful.

There won’t be much in this one.

The Harps (Laois) v Shamrocks Ballyhale (Kilkenny), O'Moore Park, 2pm

Shamrocks Ballyhale were hugely impressive in their 22-point destruction of Tullaoran in the Kilkenny SHC Final and based on that performance will go into this game as hot favourites.

They have serious firepower in their ranks with the likes of TJ Reid, Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody, Niall Shortall, and rising star Jake Mullen to call on.

A talented young Harps team will have a good cut off them though. They’ve won their first ever Laois senior title on the back of four U21 titles in a row and play a great brand of attacking hurling.

Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) v Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin), Dr Cullen Park, 2.30pm

It’s six weeks since Mount Leinster Rangers won the Carlow final so there’s a chance they’ll come into this match a little ring-rusty.

If the outstanding Chris Nolan has a prolific afternoon then they have a fighting chance, but Kilmacud’s greater all-round quality and impact from the bench should see them prevail.

Naas (Kildare) v Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly), St Conleth's Park, 3.30pm

This will be a fascinating game between two teams who have dominated their county championships in recent years and will feel like provincial silverware is the next step.

Naas look refreshed under new manager Mark Dowling and could spring a surprise here if they can limit the influence of KK’s talisman, Adam Screeney.

AIB Munster Club SFC quarter-finals

Rathgormack (Waterford) v Éire Óg Inis (Clare), Fraher Field, 2pm

Éire Óg had to work hard for the victory when these two teams met at the same stage of last year’s provincial championship and another close battle is expected here.

Mark McInerney kicked 16 points in that win for the Clare champions, and he can be the difference-maker again.

Nemo Rangers (Cork) v Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary), Páirc Uí Rinn, 1.15pm

Loughmore-Castleiney are a well organised, spirited team but they’ll have their hands full here coping with a very slick Nemo Rangers attack.

Mark Cronin, Ross Corkery, Ronan Dalton, and Luke Horgan are all potential match-winners, and that keen cutting edge should see the Cork champions through.

AIB Ulster Club SFC quarter-finals

Scotstown (Monaghan) v Magherafelt (Derry), Clones, 1.30pm

Scotstown are reigning Ulster champions but they’ll need to be at their very best to avoid being dethroned here.

In the Derry Final Magherafelt defeated a Newbridge team that took Scotstown to extra-time in last year’s provincial campaign, so that suggests this will be another close affair.

Scotstown’s greater experience and the place-kicking ability of Rory Beggan could give them a vital edge.

Edendork (Tyrone) v St Brigid's (Antrim), Dungannon, 5.30pm

Formed as recently as 1998, winning their first ever Antrim SFC was a remarkable achievement by St. Brigid’s. They’re an ambitious club who won’t want to rest on their laurels, but this looks like it will be a stiff test.

Edendork were very impressive winners in Tyrone and if they can get a good supply of ball into Darren McCurry will be hard to stop.